Make a whole grain New Year's resolution

New Year, New FoodEvery year, people make a New Year’s resolution with their health and body in mind, but it’s usually along the lines of “lose weight” or “get healthy.” Breaking your goals down into small, doable bits makes it easier to get to that ultimate achievement. Whole grains can not only help you lose weight, but evidence shows they might help lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Here’s how you can make your New Year’s resolution to eat more whole grains achievable.

Start small

If you don't like the taste of whole grains now, odds are they just need some getting used to. Start by baking and cooking with whole grains. Whole grain flour is a great way to add a bit of heart-healthy taste to your everyday meals and desserts. If you eat a lot of rice, making the switch from white to brown rice is a delicious and nutritious way to get a bit healthier with your cuisine -- Asian-inspired and otherwise.

Snack on whole grains

It's easier than you think, and you might already be doing it. Yummy foods like popcorn and granola are whole grains, but before you cuddle up with a big bowl of "butter blasted," the only healthy kind of popcorn is in its plainest form. However, there are ways to jazz it up. Combine popcorn, granola, dried fruit and nuts for a tasty midday treat that will keep you away from the vending machine.

Shop only whole grains

When it comes to bread, rice and other grain-packed foods, skip the white stuff and go right for the darkest, grainiest foods you can find. Then keep nothing else in the house. White bread is packed with sugar and bleached flour, and is missing many of the vitamins, nutrients and benefits of whole grains. Keep only whole grains in the house and your goal will always be in mind -- and easier to reach.

Open your mind

Many people are picky eaters, but some argue that whole grains actually taste better. They have richer flavors and textures, but you might be conditioned to only eat the whitest grains, packed with sugar, flour and other fillers. Everything takes some getting used to, and whole grains are no exception. Just open your mind to the idea that there are other kinds of grains out there, and soon you'll be enjoying the benefits of whole grains, too.

More healthy eating tips

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Carrot Cake Cookies

Cinnamon Cream
Cheese Frosting Surprise your family with a modern spin on traditional carrot cake. These deliciously moist carrot cake cookies are infused with warm spices and topped with a rich cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Carrot Cake Cookies

Yields 24 cookies

For the cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dark brown sugar1/2 cup granulated sugar1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature1 large egg1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon kosher salt2 teaspoons *pumpkin pie spice1 1/4 cups rolled oats1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots (about 2 carrots)1/2 cup raisins4-ounces crushed pineapple, drained

Directions:

Preheat to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat.Combine the dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter and mix with a hand mixer until light and creamy, about 3 minutes; add egg and the vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed.In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.Gradually add the flour mixture into the wet mixture until just combined; fold in the oats, carrots, raisins, and pineapple.Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto cookie sheet, leaving 2-inches between cookies; bake 12 to15 minutes, or until slightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Once cookies are cool, frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

For the frosting

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla until mixed; add the confectioners' sugar slowly until mixed; slowly stir in the cinnamon.*If you do not have pumpkin pie spice on hand, simply substitute the following: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.

More Baking Ideas & Recipes

Spiced Orange Cranberry Crumble Bars

Maple Pecan Bars

Mini Coconut Cream Tarts

Apple cider latke recipe

Perfect Latkes, Two Surprising IngredientsFor truly crisp latkes, each with a tender, creamy center, we incorporated two unusual ingredients: sparkling apple cider for tang and sweetness, and the potato's own rendered starch. Sound complicated? It couldn't be easier (or tastier).

Apple cider latke recipe

Yields 12

Ingredients:4 large russet potatoes, peeled1 small white onion, finely grated2 large eggs, lightly beaten1/4 cup sparkling apple cider2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 tablespoon potato starch1 tablespoon coarse saltFreshly ground black pepperCanola oil, for fryingApple sauce, smoked salmon, caviar and sour cream for garnishDirections:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Using the largest grating holes on a hand-held cheese grater, grate potatoes into a large bowl of ice water. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes, reserving liquid, to a clean kitchen towel; gently squeeze potatoes until almost dry.Let reserved liquid stand 10 minutes, or until starch sinks to the bottom. Carefully pour liquid from the bowl, reserving potato starch; discard water. Transfer potatoes to the bowl with reserved potato starch. Add onions. Stir in eggs, cider, flour, salt and pepper.Place a cooling rack over a sheet pan; set aside. In a heavy nonstick skillet, heat 1/2-inch of oil over medium-high heat to 365 degrees F. Working in batches, spoon 1/4 cup of potato mixture into skillet (about four to five per skillet), without crowding pan. Cook two minutes each side, or until golden brown.Transfer latkes to cooling rack; sprinkle with salt to taste, and if desired, serve with apple sauce, smoked salmon, caviar or sour cream.

More holiday recipes

Hanukkah menu and wine pairings
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Holiday fluff: A gourmet marshmallow recipe

Fun kitchen tools for kids

How To Prep Your Little ChefThe kids will beg to help in the kitchen with these fun kitchen tools, which will help you manage your kids as they learn to cook safely and with a minimum of mess. From bright green whisks to cute mini aprons, these items prevent spills and injury, avoid messy clothes and make baking and cooking easy for little hands.

Fun Kitchen tools for kids

The lime green Fiesta Head Chefs Silicone Whisk has a comfortable design with bendable arms and legs in soft silicone that's perfect for little hands. The feet act as suction cups so your little chef won't lose the whisk when helping you whip up Saturday morning pancakes.

Every little chef needs a kid-sized rolling pin to help make the perfect sugar cookies. The Jonas Kids Wooden Rolling Pin is just the right size for little hands. The pin's 4-inch barrel with an 8-1/2-inch overall length means your kids can manage baking with ease -- no more pinched fingers or dropped rolling pins.

These bright whimsical measuring spoons hang on a colorful ring. Your child will learn measurements with ease as he helps measure out ingredients.

A fun and bright child-size apron is a must for fun in the kitchen. Get one in your little one's favorite color and personalize it with iron-on letters so she feels like a real chef -- and you avoid extra laundry.

Most countertops are too high for kids, which can lead to accidents. Prevent kitchen spills with a mini stool for your junior chef.

Knives are a dangerous kitchen tool for kids, but this Starter Knives set from Rachel Ray comes with a reversible, cut-resistant glove, along with small 4-inch knives.

Recipes perfect for little chefs

Now that you're fitted out with these fun kitchen tools for kids, get into the kitchen with some tasty recipes. Here are a few of our faves:

5 Fun baking recipes for kids
8 Kid-friendly recipes
Homemade breakfast doughnuts

Get fit faster Train like an athlete

Athletic Training
For Fast ResultsAre traditional workouts boring you? Is it taking you forever to see real progress? Try exercising like a top athlete; it may be the key to reaping greater benefits in less time.

Training like an athlete means efficient exercise

Did you know that a standard dumbbell shoulder press burns about five calories per minute? That's 20 minutes of pressing to work off a mere banana. But don't drop your dumbbells yet – by working out like an athlete, you can burn about twice as many calories in the same amount of time.

Top athletes train using high intensity training techniques (HITT), which are a combination of compound exercises that tax both the aerobic and anaerobic systems, while keeping the intensity over 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. HITT is a mix of different exercises that improve agility, speed, strength, muscle endurance and power. HITT includes drills such as combining sprint runs with plyometric pushups or barbell squats with tuck jumps.

High intensity training with compound exercises will cut your time in half at the gym by increasing the efficiency of your workout and give you better results faster. Here are six reasons why you should switch gears on your exercise regimen.

Six reasons to train like an athlete1. Burn more calories during and after your workout

Research from the Journal of Strength & Conditioning shows that super sets (two exercises in a row that affect opposing muscles, such as biceps and triceps) and multiple sets both increase energy expenditure during and after the exercise period. This increase in workout intensity means you increase the calories you burn during your workout as well as the calories you burn once your workout is over (also known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which boosts your metabolic rate due to a hormonal response).

2. Curb your cravings

A recent study from the Technical University of Munich found that people who worked out at low intensity levels felt hungrier after exercising than those who engaged in more demanding workout programs. Researchers say HITT decreases the secretion of the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates your appetite. Put another way: The harder you work out, the less you will eat.

3. Increase your strength

Training like an athlete means gaining strength, but you have to challenge youself. When lifting weights, make sure that the last rep is hard to perform; if it isn't, increase the weight you are lifting. A study from Georgia Southern University found that heavy resistance training (two sets of eight reps) burned more calories than lifting two sets of 15 reps of a lighter load. But don't worry about bulking up: Female testosterone levels are one-tenth of the male levels, which makes it very hard to add muscle mass to our frames.

4. Develop power and agility

HITT will add more spring to your step and help you in everyday functional movements. Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning says that power and agility-oriented moves, such as depth jumps, jump squats and back squats, show more potential for increasing bone mass density than traditional athletic activities like walking or jogging.

5. Eat like an athlete

Repeat after me: You're not dieting; you're learning to fuel your body. If your relationship with food is often rocky, working out like an athlete will have you eating like one. Athletes do not consider the way they eat as a diet per se. They simply learn that some foods are far more effective than others as fuel for their bodies and eat healthily without going on deprivation diets (a common mistake associated with fad weight-loss strategies). With practice, adequate nutrition becomes second nature, and you'll never again feel like you're making a sacrifice with every meal.

6. Sleep better

A Taiwanese study that analyzed sleep quality among female student-athletes found that the group that was subjected to regular high-intensity training sessions reported better scores in sleep quality tests than the students who engaged in normal exercise programs.

My background and experience as an exercise physiologist, strength and conditioning coach, and certified trainer has allowed me to witness how effective this approach can be, to the point that I ended up creating my own training method (MM21) based on sports-oriented fitness techniques.

Sports training applies to every exercise program, regardless of your fitness level or how long you've been training. If I've learned something from my own training, it's that you don't have to be an athlete to train like one, or to enjoy the rewards of a great workout. I'll see you at the gym!

More high intensity fitness tips to get in top shapeGet fit fast: Train like a triathlete Interval Training 101Get faster and fitter with speed drills

Easy ways to remove dairy from your diet

Dairy
ReplacementsHave you recently decided to eliminate dairy from your diet due to food allergies or because you are adopting a vegan lifestyle? Cutting dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese and butter, from your daily meals will certainly require a change in your usual grocery shopping and cooking habits, but the many dairy substitutes and nondairy replacements available at the market will make the switch easy. Here’s how to remove dairy from your diet and still eat deliciously.

The health benefits of removing dairy from your diet

Dairy products are excellent sources of key nutrients, such as calcium, vitamins D and B12, riboflavin, phosphorus and protein. Because dairy products are derived from animals, however, they are also sources of saturated fat and cholesterol, and full-fat varieties are high in calories. Lowering your saturated fat and calorie intake can improve your heart health, reduce your risk of cancer and diabetes, and promote healthy weight maintenance. If you or someone in your family has a milk allergy, there is no question that a dairy-free diet is essential for health, safety and quality of life. Further, if you are giving up dairy for ethical reasons, you are promoting the humane treatment and health of dairy animals.

Replacing cow's milk

Every dairy product has a nondairy alternative. Milk from cows and other animals is used as a beverage and in recipes for both sweet and savory foods. Nondairy milks, such as from almond, soy and rice, are available in a yummy variety of flavors and can replace milk in most recipes. Coconut milk is another nondairy choice that will give your beverages and recipes a tropical taste. If a recipe calls for buttermilk, simply stir 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into 1 cup of soy milk and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Replacing cream and creamer

Eliminating cream doesn't mean you will never be able to dollop whipped cream onto your desserts or flavor your coffee with specialty creamers. In addition to nondairy whipped toppings for your favorite desserts, you can find soy-based creamers to enjoy with your coffee. Give flavored nondairy milk a try in your coffee.

Replacing yogurt

With more people giving up dairy for health or dietary reasons, the selection of soy-based yogurts is growing. Peruse the supermarket yogurt section and you'll find plain, vanilla and fruit flavored soy yogurts. Soy yogurt seamlessly replaces dairy-based yogurt as a snack and in recipes.

Replacing cheese

Tofu and vegan cheeses are delicious nondairy substitutes for nearly all types of cheese. You may have to visit a natural foods store to find vegan cheeses, but tofu is available at most grocery stores. You can use crumbled, seasoned tofu in place of cottage cheese or ricotta and yeast flakes for Parmesan cheese. You can even make your own nondairy cheese -- do some research online or scour dairy-free cookbooks for recipes.

Replacing ice cream

If ice cream is one of your favorite desserts, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the vast selection of nondairy ice creams made from soy, rice and coconut. Though many sherbets contain milk, sorbets are typically dairy free. Adding nondairy sherbet and sorbets to your shopping list can expand your go-to dessert options while satisfying your need for cold, refreshing treats.

Replacing butter

Your morning toast habit and love of baking don't have to end just because you're eliminating butter from your diet. Dairy-free or vegan butter substitutes come in stick, spreadable and shortening forms and can be used in many recipes, in addition to adding moistness and flavor to your breakfast foods. If you opt for margarine, go with organic and trans fat-free varieties.

Read labels

Just because you eliminate the obvious dairy in your diet (i.e., milk, yogurt, cheese and butter) doesn't mean you are in the clear. Dairy may lurk in other everyday foods. Read labels on all packaged foods before buying or consuming. Be on the lookout for -- and avoid -- these common dairy-derived ingredients: casein, whey, ghee, lactic acid, lactalbumin, lactoglobulin, lactose, milk sugar and recaldent (found in dental products).